


Past and Present

by TsiaBonasera



Category: The Mentalist
Genre: F/M, Implied Relationship, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, repost from my ffnet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-27
Updated: 2018-06-27
Packaged: 2019-05-29 13:42:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15074375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TsiaBonasera/pseuds/TsiaBonasera
Summary: When Lisbon is injured on a case someone from her past shows up and sheds some light on Lisbon's childhood. If you squint you can see some Jisbon at the end. Disclaimer: I own nothing





	Past and Present

Jane rushed through the doors of St. Luke's hospital in Sacramento. He ran past a full waiting room of people until he reached the nurses station on the first floor.

"I'm looking for Agent Teresa Lisbon, where is she?!" He asked the nurse frantically.

"One moment sir." The older nurse told him while she tapped away at the keys of her computer.

"Agent Teresa Lisbon of the CBI, i was just told that she sustained injuries and was taken here. I need to know where she is right. now." He demanded

"Sir, I need you to calm down or I will have to have you escorted out of the building. Agent Lisbon is currently in surgery so if you would please just sit down and wait, then when she is out I will come and get you." The nurse replied cooly.

Jane let out a huff and pulled out his cellphone and dialed rigsbys number quickly.

"Rigsby" he answered

"Rigsby where is she?" Jane asked quickly.

"Jane, she's in surgery now, but the rest of us are in the private waiting room on the second floor, near the ICU, come up here with us." He replied, hanging up the phone.

Jane shot a glare at the nurse and made his way toward the elevator on the opposite side of the room. He pressed the 'up' button and waited for what seemed like hours for it to arrive. After a few minutes he gave up on the elevator and pushed the door next to the elevators and bolted up the two flights of stairs. When he entered into the second floor hallway he asked a passing nurse where the ICU private waiting room and was directed to three doors down the hall.

The second he entered the waiting room he saw Grace crying in the chair in the corner and Rigsby trying to console her. While Cho was sitting with his usual emotionless stare glaring at the wall.

"What happened?" Jane asked

"Umm.. We were going in the house, she was the lead, and she said she heard a noise in the basement so she went to check it out. Her and the suspect got into a fight, a bad one. Jane, it was bad. She was unconscious on the floor by the time we heard it and apprehended the guy." Risby informed him.

"How bad?" Jane asked, scared.

"Bad. The EMT's said she had at least four broken ribs, a concussion, a broken arm and a sprained ankle. She's in surgery because they think one of the ribs may have punctured her lung." Rigsby relayed.

"Oh god" Jane said, sitting down in the chair next to Cho.

"She's gonna be fine. She's a fighter, we all know that. She's gonna be fine." Cho tried to assure the group.

They all sat in silence for two hours, mindlessly sipping on bad coffee, and letting their minds wander from subject to subject to try and distract themselves from their situation at hand. Jane had just gotten up to get Grace another cup of coffee when the nurse came in the room.

"Family of Teresa Lisbon?" The nurse asked. She was an older woman, in her late fifties, early sixties, with a distinctive southern drawl to her speech. She was wearing light purple scrubs that were a bit loose around her slightly plumped body. He mostly white hair was chopped off above the ear, in the typical older woman hair style.

"Yeah, that's us." Rigsby answered.

"Hi i'm nurse Lorena Johnson. Okay, the good news is that she does not have a punctured lung. The bad news is that she still has four broken ribs, and she has a bit of bleeding in her brain from the concussion. Not to much to worry about but enough to be concerned about. Also the break in her arm was on the arm that she was previously shot in so the recovery time for that is going to be double what it normally would, and she's gonna need some physical therapy. She's asleep right now, she'll probably be out for a good while considering her injuries and the fact that she's heavily sedated. But other than that, she's gonna be fine. I can bring you to her room if you like." She reported with a kind smile.

"Yes, please." Grace said.

"Then if you'll please follow me." The nurse said, leading them out of the room and down the hallway for a considerable distance until they reached the ICU wing. She then led them down another hall until they stopped in front of a room labeled 204. The blinds for the windows of the room were closed so they couldn't see into the room.

"She can only have one visitor at a time for now, but in an hour or so she'll be moved to a normal room then you can all go in then " Nurse Lorena told them, with a bright smile.

They all muttered their thanks as she left them by the room.

"Jane, why don't you go in first. I think you're the first person she'll wanna see when she wakes up." Grace said

Jane nodded his head and slowly opened the door to the room. The first thing he saw was Lisbons motionless body laying in the hospital bed with numerous wires and machines hooked up to her. He slowly made his way into the room and stared at her for what seemed like an eternity. He had never seen her look so pale. She had looked bad after she had gotten shot, but this was worse. She had purple and black bruises covering the entire left side of her face and up her arm as far as he could see. He moved closer, grabbed the chair from the corner of the room and dragged it right next her bed then sat down. He lifted his hand and hesitated for a moment before lightly grasping hers. He sat there for over an hour just watching her breathe. Just hoping she wouldn't stop, until Nurse Lorena came back and told him they were moving her to a normal room. Her and a few other nurses he recognized from the nurses station they passed earlier moved Lisbon to a room a couple of halls over and got her equipment and her settled in quickly.

"Mr. Jane is it?" Nurse Lorena asked once all the other staff members were out of the room and the rest of the team was in.

"Yes?" Jane asked.

"Would you like a cot set up in the room later on tonight?" Nurse Lorena asked sweetly.

Jane smiled nicely and said "Yes, that would be great. Thank you".

"She's going to be kept for a few days, and you look like a man who isn't going to leave her side,

"No problem honey, I'm sure if our girl here wakes up over night, she's gonna want someone here." She said, leaving the room.

"Why don't you guys go home. I'll call you when she wakes up." Jane suggested to the group.

"I'm not leaving until visiting hours are up." Grace said adamantly.

"Me too." Rigsby agreed.

"Yeah, i'm not leaving either." Cho chimed in.

"Fine." Jane said. Moving a chair next to Lisbons bed again. They all sat in silence, listening to the beeping of the machines until Nurse Lorena came back a few hours later and told them visiting hours were ending and that they needed to leave unless they were staying the night. All but jane left begrudgingly and went home for the night, with promises that they would be back first thing in the morning. About an hour after that Nurse Lorena brought Jane in a cot, pillow and blanket, did her final check over Lisbon and wished him a goodnight.

Jane knew he wasn't going to sleep at all but figured it would be more comfortable to lay down on a cot then held up in a rickety plastic chair. So he set up the cot quickly, and as close to Lisbons bed as he could manage around the machines, and laid down the pillow. He stood up fully and removed his vest and then unbuttoned the first button his shirt, then draped his vest over the plastic chair that was now in the corner of the room. He glanced at Lisbon's motionless body once more and let out a soft sigh. He laid down on the cot, draped the blanket over his legs and glanced at the clock next to the door. 10:30. They'd been at the hospital since eleven and he still didn't have any signs of her waking up anytime soon. He moved his gaze to the ceiling and stared for what seemed like hours. Lost in his own thoughts, he startled when he heard the door suddenly open and Nurse Lorena walk in. He quickly glanced over at the clock again, 2:00, before turning his attention to Nurse Lorena.

"Sorry hun, did I wake ya?" She asked quietly.

"No, I wasn't asleep." Jane replied.

"I didn't think you would be. I'm just here doing an overnight check on our patient here." She said, writing various things down on the clipboard she carried in with her.

"Shouldn't you have gone home hours ago?" Jane asked.

"Actually I was done at six but there was no way I was about to leave little Resse here." Nurse Lorena replied sweetly.

Before Jane could respond he heard a cough from right next to him, followed by a very confused Lisbon fluttering her eyes open.

"Well good morning darling, or should I say good night. How are you feeling?" Nurse Lorena asked, moving closer to the bed.

Lisbon swallowed roughly and blinked a few times, trying to focus her eyes properly. Within a few moments Lisbon was fully awake and asked "What happened?" with her scratchy, sleep laden voice.

"Well i'm not so sure I can tell you the whole story hun, but that fine young man next to you probably can." Nurse Lorena said with a smile, before squeezing Lisbons hand and walking out of the room.

"Jane?" She asked, straining her head to look over at him on the cot.

"Hey, how you feeling?" He asked quietly, sitting up so Lisbon could see him.

"I feel like I just got hit by a truck, what the hell happened?" She asked, wincing in pain.

"Well Rigsby and Cho said you fought with a suspect, you have a few broken ribs, well four, your left arm is broken, which they said you're going to have to go to physical therapy for later since that's the arm you were shot in. And you have a concussion, well had, It may be gone by now. You've been out for a while." Jane said softly, reaching his hand up to stroke her hair.

"Where are we?" Lisbon asked confused.

"We're still in Sacramento, at St. Lukes. You're gonna be here for a few days. I sent the rest of the team home for the night to get some sleep but they'll be back in the morning." Jane told her.

"But you stayed?" She asked.

"I wasn't about to leave you all alone in the hospital." He said sincerely.

"Thanks." Lisbon said quietly, closing her eyes once again.

"Why don't you go back to sleep, we can talk some more when you wake up again." Jane suggested, squeezing her hand lightly.

"M'kay." She slurred, already half asleep.

Jane let out a small laugh and begrudgingly got up from her side to use the small bathroom in the room. Once he was done and had washed his hands he came back out to see Nurse Lorena back in the room checking the equipment again.

"How do you know her?" Jane asked immediately, returning to his cot next to Lisbon.

"Let's just say I knew her a long time ago." She replied vaguely.

"What?"

"Honey, I think it would be better if we let Reese sleep peacefully, I'll talk to you in the morning. If you need me i'll be in the on-call room down the hall." Nurse Lorena said before leaving the room again.

Jane shook his head in confusion but decided to let it go for now, he wasn't going anywhere and Cho and the rest of the team would be back at seven when visiting hours started so he could always ask them as well.

He sat in silence and let his mind drift again throughout the remaining few hours. Every so often he would greet the nurse who come and check on things but after about the seventh time he gave up. He was tired and worried, and what that nurse had said was still bugging him. He sat for the last two hours before the team came back in thought, trying to come up with any explanation as to what she meant, but he couldn't.

"Hey Jane, how's she doing?" Grace asked, walking into the hospital room followed by Rigsby and Cho.

"Uh, she woke up overnight and asked where she was, but then she fell back asleep again. She hasn't woken up again." Jane explained.

"Well at least she woke up. Here." Cho said, handing him a cup of piping hot tea.

"Thanks." Jane said, immediately taking a sip.

"Did you sleep at all last night?" Rigsby asked, pulling two of the chairs from the side of the room and putting them on the other side of Lisbon's bed so he and Grace could sit down.

"No." Jane replied simply.

"Why don't you shut your eyes for a bit? We're all here now and we'll wake you if something happens." Grace suggested.

"No, I'm fine." Jane insisted.

"Come on Jane, you'll be no use to Lisbon if you're burned out. Just lay down and rest for a while at least." Rigsby said.

"Only if you do me a favor." Jane bargained.

"What?" Cho asked.

"Run a background check on Nurse Lorena Johnson." Jane told him.

"Why?"

"She said something earlier, I just want to be safe."

"I'll call and have someone run one quick." Cho said as he pulled out his cellphone and left the room.

"Now lay down." Grace instructed.

"Fine...fine…" Jane said, leaning back onto his cot.

Two hours later Jane was woken up by Grace shaking him and calling his name.

"What? What's wrong?" He shot up immediately, eyes immediately landing on Lisbon.

"Nothing's wrong, she just woke up." Rigsby said, trying to calm him down.

"Hey." Lisbon said in her raspy voice.

"How are you feeling?" Jane asked immediately.

"Is that all you guy's are gonna ask me?" Lisbon asked, slightly annoyed.

"Well give us a straight answer and maybe we would stop." Rigsby said with a laugh.

"I feel fine." Lisbon relented.

"Liar." Jane said, calling her out.

"Even I could tell you were lying that time." Cho said from his standing position next to Rigsby's chair.

She narrowed her eyes at him and said grumpily "Fine. I feel like crap, my ribs hurt, I have a major headache and this cast itches. Happy now?"

"I'll go find the nurse to see if we can get some more pain meds in you." Cho said moving toward the door.

"Wait, did you do that thing I asked you to?" Jane asked.

"Yeah, she's clear, nothing suspicious." Cho said.

"What did you do?" Lisbon asked, groaning.

"He ran a background check on your nurse." Cho told her immediately.

"Seriously?" Lisbon asked, anger clear in her raspy voice.

"She was suspicious." Jane defended.

"And in what way was I suspicious Darling?" Nurse Lorena said, walking into the room.

"I'm sorry for his behaviour, he is a bit paranoid." Lisbon said, trying to sit up to apologize.

"Now, now, don't try and sit up there honey, your ribs are broken, you need to rest." The nurse said, gently pushing Lisbon back to a laying position.

"I'm fine." Lisbon told her gruffly.

"If you keep that attitude up little Reese, i'm not gonna bring you a strawberry smoothie for lunch." Nurse Lorena chastised as she checked all machines again.

"Wait...what…" Lisbon said confused. "Nurse Lorena?" She continued, the shock evident in her voice.

"The one and only." She said with a smile. "I'm gonna draw some blood okay? Then you're gonna tell me how you're really feeling."

" Alright." Lisbon said, relenting faster than anyone else had ever seen her before.

"You got yourself into a bit of trouble here didn't ya?" Nurse Lorena said as she moved to the side of the room and grabbed out a needle.

"You could say that." Lisbon said with a smile.

"Now, I'm gonna ask how you're feelin' and you're gonna answer me truthfully right? So how ya feelin'?"

"Well...my ribs hurt like hell and so does my head. And the cast itches." Lisbon repeated what she had told the team before.

"Well I can give you some meds for the pain, but you know I can't do anything about that cast. I swear every time you get one of those things you complain about how much it itches." Nurse Lorena said.

"That's because it does." Lisbon said like a child. A tone none of them had ever heard her use before.

"Okay, okay, I'm gonna go get some more pain meds for ya, I'll be right back… you can explain to these folks what's going on while i'm gone." She said as she moved out of the room.

"Reese?" Grace asked with a smile once the nurse had left the room.

"Everyone called me that when I was a kid, okay?" Lisbon told them.

"So she's known you since you were a kid?" Rigsby asked.

"More like she knew me when I was a kid, I haven't seen her since I was eighteen." Lisbon explained. "She was a nurse in the pediatric unit at a hospital back in Chicago."

"So how did you know her? Was she your neighbor or something?" Rigsby asked.

"No, she was my nurse. I was in the hospital a lot." Lisbon said quietly, trying not to remember.

"Why were you in the hospital a lot? Were you sick?" Grace asked, worried.

"No, I wasn't sick." Was all Lisbon said.

"Then why were you in the hospital?" Rigsby asked her again.

"Alrighty then, I'm gonna put this through your system and that pain should go away. But you'll probably fall asleep again okay sweetie?" Nurse Lorena said, entering the room.

"Okay." Was all Lisbon said, as she looked down at the thin hospital sheet, trying to avoid her teams confused faces. Well all but Jane's. Jane was looking down at his cot because he knew exactly why she was in the hospital a lot, and he hated why. But it was her place to tell them, not his. So he kept quiet.

"It shouldn't take too long to kick in." Nurse Lorena said as she administered the medicine. "Why don't you folks come with me to the waiting room down the hall so Reese can get some rest." She continued, but just as she saw Jane about to protest she finished with "Except for you Mr. Jane. I know very well that you are not going to leave, no matter what I say."

"Thank you." Jane told her.

"Now the rest of ya'll please come with me." She instructed, leading the other three agents out of the room.

"Thanks." Lisbon said quietly, looking over at Jane.

"For what?"

"For not telling them. I don't want them to think less of me or something if they found out." Lisbon explained, picking at her fingernails.

"Lisbon I promise you that they would not think any less of you if they knew. But I won't tell them, I promise." He said sincerely.

"Why are they here anyways? They should be at work." Lisbon said, shifting back into 'boss' mode.

"Seriously? They're here because you were unconscious and nearly dying. The paramedics thought you had a punctured lung because your breathing was so shallow. They are worried about you." Jane told her.

"Did you stay here all night?" Lisbon asked, changing the subject.

"Yes."

"You should go home and get some sleep." Lisbon told him.

"I did sleep."

"But it would probably be more comfortable to sleep on your make shift bed thing at headquarters rather than an old cot." She tried to argue.

"I'm comfortable right here. I'm not leaving." He said firmly.

"Well i'm gonna fall asleep soon again. Make sure you eat something at least, and make sure they do too, got it?" Lisbon instructed.

"I can't promise anything." Jane said playfully before standing up and and pulling Lisbons blanket more over her body.

"Thanks…" Lisbons mumbled, her eyes already closed as she drifted back to sleep.

"I was wondering if ya'll needed anything from the cafeteria?" Nurse Lorena asked, walking into the small waiting room that Cho, Rigsby and Vanpelt were in.

"I'm fine." Cho replied.

"I'm good too." Vanpelt added.

"Me too." Rigsby said as well.

"Okay, suit yourselves." Nurse Lorena said with a laugh just as Jane walked into the room. "Don't even bother honey, they don't want anything to eat." She said to him.

"Well Lisbon ordered me to make sure that you eat." Jane told them.

"She's the one in the hospital and she's worried if we're eating." Grace said, rolling her eyes.

"Reese has never been one to worry about herself. Ask any of her little brothers if you don't believe me." Nurse Lorena said as she started walking out of the room.

"Wait." Grace called out "What do you mean?" She asked.

Nurse Lorena stopped and turned around before saying "I just mean that she doesn't really worry about herself when sometimes she really should."

"How do you know that? You only knew her when she was what...twelve? She's probably changed a lot since then." Rigsby said, becoming more defensive.

"They don't know do they?" She said, turning to Jane.

"No." He responded simply.

"Well it's not mine or your place to tell 'em, that's her's. So I suggest you ask her about it when she wakes up if you really wanna know. But make sure you don't push her too hard, I don't need her blood pressure skyrocketing because you're opening' up old wounds." She said to the group before walking out of the room.

"What is she talking about?" Cho asked after she left.

"I think she's right, you should ask Lisbon about that. But I don't think she'll be very forthcoming with information. It's a very touchy subject." Jane told them. "Now go get some food so she doesn't yell at us when she wakes up. Bring me something back up to the room if you don't mind." He continued.

"Fine." Grace said reluctantly.

"Thank you." Jane said as he watched them leave the room.

He let out a long breath and shook his head, trying to wake himself up then walked out of the room and back to Lisbons.

"You've been in here an awful lot." Jane said as he entered the room and saw Nurse Lorena checking on things again before sitting back down on his cot.

"Not nearly as much as when she was a girl." She replied. "I used to stay in here with her all day until her brothers would come by after school, then I would stay with her at night too. She doesn't know that cause I would usually come in when she was asleep then get up before she did." She continued.

"Why?" Jane asked.

"Why what?"

"Why did you stay with her?" Jane clarified.

"I stayed because no one else would. Her father would always disappear for a while after checking her in and she didn't have any relatives around...not that any of them knew what was going on...and her little brothers would come after school but she would shoo them home to do their homework and get some sleep. She lost her mom, and then she lost the dad that she knew. She acted tough on the outside but she was still just a little girl. She needed someone to take care of her. So I did. Now does that answer your question?" Nurse Lorena said, looking him dead in the eyes.

"Yes, just one more...How long did it last?" Jane asked softly.

"Until she was eighteen, and her father put a bullet in his own head."

"Seven years?! Why did no one do anything about it?" Jane asked angrily.

"Mr. Jane, it was a different time back then. Her father was a firefighter, you don't just go and accuse someone like that of beating their children, even with how much proof we had. Especially after he just lost his wife. And don't believe we didn't try. The first time she came in I went to my superiors but they brushed it aside when they saw what he did for a living. Trust me. It killed me and the other nurses every time she came in to that ER." Nurse Lorena told him.

"Oh." Was all Jane could say.

"Now, i'm not gonna tell you anymore unless Reese here tells me it's okay." Nurse Lorena said, effectively ending the conversation until she heard Lisbon cough from the bed and say weakly:

"It's okay...You can tell him anything you want, I trust him."

"Are you sure honey?" Nurse Lorena asked sweetly.

"Yeah…You can tell the rest of my team too if they ask..." Lisbon said.

"Only if they ask again. Are sure you're okay with it? It's not gonna bring back any bad memories?"

"No, It'll be fine." She assured her. "They were bound to find out eventually." She finished.

"Oh come on now sweetheart, you're a tough little cookie, I doubt they would've ever figured it out."

Lisbon just scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Now you listen here Reese. I have never met anyone strong enough to be able to do what you did, especially with how young you were. You're a fighter." Nurse Lorena said "Now i'm gonna go and leave you and Mr. Jane here for a bit, just call if you need anything got it?" She finished.

"Just one question." Lisbon said.

"Shoot."

"Why aren't you a pediatric nurse anymore?" Lisbon wondered.

"I couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't stand seeing you come in like that and not be able to do a damn thing about it." Nurse Lorena said honestly.

"Really?"

"Yes, now I think Mr. Jane is itching to talk to you too, so I'm gonna let you have some time alone with him. Make sure you don't get her blood pressure too high." She said, looking at Jane for the last part of her message.

"I'll do my best." Jane promised. Before watching Nurse Lorena walk out of the room.

"How long did you know?" Lisbon asked quietly, looking down at her hands.

"Know what? That you are an incredibly strong, kind hearted woman? Since the moment I met you." Jane said, sitting down on the edge of his cot before finishing "About the other stuff? After working with you for a while, I figured, but until now I really didn't know the extent of it."

"I really don't like talking about it." Lisbon admitted.

"That's why I never brought it up, But if you want to talk about it, I promise that I won't be cocky, or be a smartass or a general ass about anything." Jane said.

"I know…" Lisbon trailed off.

There was a few moments of silence, both of them pondering what to say next until Lisbon finally opened her mouth and said:

"Jane you have to know that my father was a good person. He was great. He came to all our stuff, he helped with homework, He loved us. But once my mom died, everything changed. He just detached from us saying that we reminded him too much of her. That's when he started drinking. At first it was just every couple of nights, but then it was every night, and soon it was whenever he could. Whenever he was awake he was drunk. Nobody said anything at his work because he just lost his wife, they just didn't send him out on calls, and sent him home early. He was fine, usually just not home then, he'd go to the bar right away. But then one night, I brought the boys home after school and they were watching TV while I made dinner….and they were screwing around in the living room and one of the picture frames fell off the wall and broke, there was glass everywhere. I went in the living room and saw it, told the boys not to touch it and went in the kitchen to grab a bag. But when I was in the kitchen my dad walked in and saw it. He was already drunk so he started yelling at them and started swearing at tommy so I rushed in and saw him lunge toward tommy. Tommy tried to run but he kept following him so I jumped in front of him and told him that I was the one who broke it. He gave me a black eye, a broken arm and broken rib that night. But the worst part is that he didn't even remember what he did the next morning. And I didn't tell him. I just told him I fell off my bike. It happened a lot like that at first. Where he wouldn't remember, but as it kept happening I think he knew."

"Teresa…" Jane said sadly.

"No Jane. It was my choice. I choose to jump in front of them every time. Please don't feel sorry for me." Lisbon said, holding back her tears.

"No, because no one deserves to go through that. You were just a kid. Why didn't you tell anyone?" Jane asked, getting worked up after hearing her story.

"Because I was scared. I was scared that if someone found out they would take my brothers and me away and we would never see each other, or dad, ever again." She admitted.

"You could have died." Jane said, shuddering at the thought.

"I didn't think about that then. All I thought about was keeping my brothers safe." She told him honestly.

"What happened to them after you're dad died?"

"My aunt and uncle that lived in San Diego took them in. But I was eighteen, so I went to college, then, well, you know the rest." She told him.

"You are the most amazing person I have ever met." Jane said sincerely.

"No, I'm not." Lisbon said with a laugh.

"Yes you are. You are constantly putting everyone else before yourself, you've been through so much but you still manage to come to work and do what you do with a smile on your face." Jane told her.

"Okay…" She said, rolling her eyes.

"I mean it...Teresa. You are amazing." Jane said, grabbing her hand and giving it a squeeze.


End file.
